Pine tar/pitch

[dznf0g]

Maybe this is old hat for those who live in piney territory, but I got a liberal dose of pine pitch dripped on the TV and AS while in upstate NY. After trying a variety of chemicals in my arsenal, I found Sparkle Glass cleaner was the best solution. While still a bit of a job, it was gentle on all paints/clear coats, glass ans Plexiglas. Let it soak a bit and rub with a very wet, Sparkle soaked cotton rag.

[STREMN]

We're deep in New England with loads of pine around including our yard. It's never a pretty sight when you discover that dropping on the beautiful clean finish of your TV or AS.

What we've used is a simple ingredient from the fridge. Never thought of it... in fact totally unexpected.

Mayonnaise

That's right, just dab some mayo on the offending drop, let it sit for a little bit and wipe it off. With heavier pine drips apply it again until it's fully removed. It even works on your skin. Amazing stuff...

Tom

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by STREMN

We're deep in New England with loads of pine around including our yard. It's never a pretty sight when you discover that dropping on the beautiful clean finish of your TV or AS.

What we've used is a simple ingredient from the fridge. Never thought of it... in fact totally unexpected.

Mayonnaise

That's right, just dab some mayo on the offending drop, let it sit for a little bit and wipe it off. With heavier pine drips apply it again until it's fully removed. It even works on your skin. Amazing stuff...

Tom

I'll try that. Although I have cleaned the TV and most of the AS, I am sure I will be finding new spots for some time. I assume it has to be mayo, not miracle whip?

[Boxite]

WD-40 will remove almost all tar, pine, glue, etc., and is actually a GREAT cleaner for washing the car also! I buy it in gallon cans, pouring a cup or two into a 5-gal bucket, add water from the garden hose to turn it into a milky-emulsion.... rinse the car/airplane/etc off with a hose, use the emulsion instead of soapy water.... rinse again and dry with old towels.

It lubricates all the weatherseals, door/window hinges, leaves a just-waxed appearance and water beads-up if it rains as if it's been waxed. Straight WD 40 will remove road tar, wax, spilt paint, etc etc. (The mayonnaise has OIL in it as it's major ingredient and is why it will dissolve tar.)

[CRH]

WD-40 in the car wash bucket is similar to the old timers trick of a cup of kerosene.

I usually grab the WD if I only have a spot or two of pine sap to clean off of a vehicle. If it is a large amount, I use mineral spirits.

[STREMN]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

I'll try that. Although I have cleaned the TV and most of the AS, I am sure I will be finding new spots for some time. I assume it has to be mayo, not miracle whip?

Yep just plain old mayo...

Interesting about the WD-40, learn something new everyday. I've always used it for the SS parts (rock guards, etc...), have to give it a go as an emulsion for a general wash.

Tom

[Dingo Girl]

Originally Posted by CRH

WD-40 in the car wash bucket is similar to the old timers trick of a cup of kerosene.

I usually grab the WD if I only have a spot or two of pine sap to clean off of a vehicle. If it is a large amount, I use mineral spirits.

It says in my owners manual for my 67 to pour kerosene down the drains for winterizing. Another use for the stuff if you can get past the stink of it.

[Wayne&Sam]

Rubbing alcohol

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by Wayne&Sam

Rubbing alcohol

How does that do on plexiglass?

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

How does that do on plexiglass?

Hi

WD-40 / Kerosene, mayo, ketchup, turpentine, and Windex all should be fine on Plexiglass. Since most Airstream's have Lexan on them that may not be the answer to the question you really wanted to ask . They are all ok on Lexan as well.

Bob

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

WD-40 / Kerosene, mayo, ketchup, turpentine, and Windex all should be fine on Plexiglass. Since most Airstream's have Lexan on them that may not be the answer to the question you really wanted to ask . They are all ok on Lexan as well.

Bob

No they're not. Never use Windex on lexan. Been there done that. Instant fogging and dulling.

[Boxite]

NEVER use Windex with Ammonia...on plastic. It's the Ammonia that kills Plexiglas/Lexan/etc. It also is why so many autos have crazed headlamp lenses. RTV (silicone adhesives) also smell like ammonia because that's how they cure. Using RTV near plastic can ruin some plastics. GE makes a type silicone adhesive specially for plastic/lexan/plexi... and it can be found in big box stores next to their selections of plastic window supplies.
============

The "cup of kero in a bucket" and "kero stinks" commentary brings me to explain a bit more about the WD-40 use...

My Dad bought a '57 Chrysler and Mom showed him her copy of "Hints from Heloise"... which recommended a cup of kero in a bucket of warm water for washing the car. Dad tried it and it works wonderful.

When I acquired a highly-polished aluminum airplane (a restored 1953 Cessna 170) I wanted to avoid re-polishing ...but I hated the smell of kerosene... so I used WD-40 as an experiment. It's now been 18 years of ownership of a 65-year-old airplane and I've never had to re-polish the airplane, and nary a smidgen of corrosion anywhere either.

[68 TWind]

Nice plane and thanks for the tip on WD-40. I had a 182 that was painted in the ugly 76 yellow and brown scheme. Wife called it a new breed of bird, "yellow belly money sucker"

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by 68 TWind

Nice plane and thanks for the tip on WD-40. I had a 182 that was painted in the ugly 76 yellow and brown scheme. Wife called it a new breed of bird, "yellow belly money sucker"

Ha!
Thanks.
Here we were over Lake Okanagan, British Columbia, headed out to Nanaimo, Vancouver Island a couple years ago...
We've had it all over North America:

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by Boxite

NEVER use Windex with Ammonia...on plastic. It's the Ammonia that kills Plexiglas/Lexan/etc. It also is why so many autos have crazed headlamp lenses.

Headlight lenses are that milky/yellow color primarily because of the UV rays from the sunlight on the poly-carbonate lenses.
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...s/buying-guide

Windex now has an ammonia free product; Windex Crystal Rain, safe for plastics.
http://www.windex.com/en-us/products...s-cleaner.aspx

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by richw46

Headlight lenses are that milky/yellow color primarily because of the UV rays from the sunlight on the poly-carbonate lenses.
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...s/buying-guide

Windex now has an ammonia free product; Windex Crystal Rain, safe for plastics.
http://www.windex.com/en-us/products...s-cleaner.aspx

I gotta tell you, when I fogged up my skylight, I was using Windex, which clearly was labeled as ammonia free. However, I have been known to take a near empty bottle and pour its contents into a new bottle when it starts pulling air. It is possible I had some ammonia in the new bottle. But, now, Lexan only gets soap and water, like the skylight manufacturer states!

The headlight condition described above is crazing, not yellowing.

[1973Argosy]

Originally Posted by richw46

Headlight lenses are that milky/yellow color primarily because of the UV rays from the sunlight on the poly-carbonate lenses.
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...s/buying-guide

Windex now has an ammonia free product; Windex Crystal Rain, safe for plastics.
http://www.windex.com/en-us/products...s-cleaner.aspx

Mayonnaise will restore those faded headlights to like new looking. Put a little on a terry cloth towel and simply wipe the lens. You will have to reapply it after about 4 car washes. It also does miraculous things to faded gel coat on boats or other fiberglass materials. Again it will have to be reapplied every so often but it is much easier and gives as good or better results than waxing.

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by 1973Argosy

Mayonnaise will restore those faded headlights to like new looking. Put a little on a terry cloth towel and simply wipe the lens. You will have to reapply it after about 4 car washes. It also does miraculous things to faded gel coat on boats or other fiberglass materials. Again it will have to be reapplied every so often but it is much easier and gives as good or better results than waxing.

Originally Posted by richw46

Headlight lenses are that milky/yellow color primarily because of the UV rays from the sunlight on the poly-carbonate lenses.
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...s/buying-guide

Windex now has an ammonia free product; Windex Crystal Rain, safe for plastics.
http://www.windex.com/en-us/products...s-cleaner.aspx

Consumer Reports ...without any evidence of research... states the following in that report:
"Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is the primary culprit in the headlight aging process, compounded by other environmental factors. The problem tends to be most serious in warmer, sunny climates, but we've seen plenty of evidence of it in northern regions, including on employee cars in our own Yonkers, N.Y., parking lot."
In other words...they are pretty good at contradicting their own imaginative causes of headlight lens problems. In fact, they are GUESSING because they simply haven't tested their theory that sunlight is the problem.
Even worse.... Consumer Reports FAILS TO MENTION that ammonia will ruin plastic lenses when they recommend owner-actions: "Get in the habit of regularly cleaning your lenses with a household glass cleaner."
Many car-washes use ammonia-based window cleaners and they apply them liberally to all windows/lenses. Many owners unknowingly do the same. Over the last 20 years, I have owned four cars with plastic headlight lenses in sunny Texas and NONE of them have been garaged and NONE of them suffered damaged headlight lenses. I do not allow car wash personnel to clean my headlight lenses.... EVER. (in fact, I rarely allow them to wash my car since I live/work way out in the countryside...It's more convenient to do it myself.)

Mayonnaise is largely vegetable oil. If you don't plan to eat your car... you might just use a bit of vegetable oil on your lenses if you choose to follow that route.

[devilsbox]

Mayonnaise is largely vegetable oil. If you don't plan to eat your car... you might just use a bit of vegetable oil on your lenses if you choose to follow that route.

We had a dandy of a wind/rain storm here in northern NE on Oct 29/30. Here it is 11/8 and still people without power.

We had all the pine trees close to the house and driveway taken down. Still a big pine tree come down about 20 feet from the Airstream and even closer to my wife's prius. I thought we came out of the storm in pretty good shape at first. After a closer look I found hundreds of pitch encrusted pine needles stuck to not only the Airstream but to both vehicles, the house, deck and everything else that was outside. What a mess.

Larry